REVIEW: ‘The Dragon Prince’ Season 4 Makes A Timely Return

The Dragon Prince has returned for its fourth season, subtitled The Mystery of Aaravos. Two years after the events of the third season, Callum (Jack De Sena) is now the High Mage of Katolis while his brother Ezran (Sasha Rojen) continues to rule. Ezran intends to bridge the gap between Katolis and the Queen of the Dragons Zubeia (Nicole Oliver). However, given that Zubeia tried to have Ezran killed in the past tensions are rising between dragons and humans.

Meanwhile, Claudia (Racquel Belmonte) has resurrected her father Viren (Jason Simpson) after his tragic death. However, the spell will only last for a month before Viren departs the land of the living. Claudia has found a way to save him – and it lies in the imprisoned Startouch Elf Aaravos (Erik Todd Dellums). Aaravos has his own machinations for the world, and Claudia’s quest to resurrect Viren plays into those machinations. So does Callum, who possesses a mirror that serves as Aaravos’ link to the outside world.

Series creators/showrunners Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond probably didn’t expect the fantasy genre to make a major resurgence during Dragon Prince‘s hiatus. However, it ends up working in their favor, especially with how they approach their story. Mystery of Aaravos moves at a quicker pace compared to previous seasons, with most of the plot points set up in the first episode. Another way Ehasz and Richmond improve on the previous season is by making sure that newcomers can jump in alongside long-time fans. The story wastes no time in establishing the characters, as well as their goals and relationships with each other.

Speaking of characters, the passage of time has led to some major changes for some of the cast. Callum is still hurting over the fact that Rayla (Paula Burrows) disappeared and throws himself into his work. He’s also grown fiercely protective of Ezran; after a misunderstanding, he barges into the throne room – only to learn that everyone was planning a surprise birthday party for him! While the payoff to that subplot offers a nice mix of the humor and drama that drives The Dragon Prince, it also shows how Callum has been affected by previous events. Things don’t get any easier in the following episodes.

The real dramatic thrust of The Dragon Prince Season 4 lies in Claudia’s desire to keep Viren alive, and what lengths she’s willing to go to in order to achieve her goals. Claudia has always been one of the characters within The Dragon Prince that I’ve been split on. Yes, her turn to the dark side offers up so many storytelling potentials, but the journey there left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, Ehasz and Richmond decide to ground her struggle in the very real emotion of losing a parent. Similarly, Viren deals with the trauma of his resurrection, which is a subject very few genre shows tackle. Coming back from the dead would do a number on you – especially if you relived the memories of your death.

This gives Belamonte and Simpson some of the most emotional scenes in Season 4, and both actors are more than up to the task. Simpson adds new layers of vulnerability to Viren, and Belamonte has moments that reminds the audience that Claudia is still a teenage girl. And anyone who’s ever been a teenager knows that they don’t often make rational decisions. Their plotline also continues The Dragon Prince‘s trend of giving a character the major spotlight in a season. This looks to be Claudia’s season, especially since her quest to free Aaravos hints at dire consequences for the world.

Visually, Wonderstorm Entertainment has stepped up their game. Character models look sleeker, and the colors continue to be vibrant and eye-catching. From the opening title, which features an array of golden stars falling from the sky, to the mixture of stone and steel that comprises Katolis’ walls there is some truly impressive work on display here. The most stunning scene happens to be in the Season 4 premiere, “Rebirthday” when Janai (Rena Anakwe) proposes to Amaya. The proposal takes place in a forest, where fiery red and golden brown leaves swirl around and other Sun Elves use flaming whips in a dance ritual. Not only is it a beautiful scene, it’s also an emotional one. I was wiping away a few tears by the end!

The Dragon Prince Season 4 makes a welcome – and timely – return to television, with a compelling new story and challenges for its heroes. The hiatus has only served to fine-tune everything that’s great about the show, from its storytelling to its animation style. With three more seasons slated to debut in the coming years, I hope the creators continue to improve on things.

The Dragon Prince Season 4 will be available to stream on Netflix on November 3.